2025-Altricia Dawson
Building sustainable food systems to support good health and wellbeing in marginalised communities
Dr Altricia Dawson (University of Nottingham) LinkedIn - Building sustainable food systems to support good health and wellbeing in marginalised communities
Co-Applicants: Dr Anne Touboulic (University of Nottingham) LinkedIn; Dr Lucy McCarthy (University of Bristol) LinkedIn; Prof David Tennant (University of the West Indies) LinkedIn; Beth Bell (Food Ethics Council) LinkedIn; Dr Peter Noy (Food Systems Institute at University of Nottingham) LinkedIn
Grant reference: 2025-503-SAMS-BAM
Award amount: £69,952.61
Project summary: The Sustainable Development Goals highlight the urgency of transitioning towards Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) and achieving Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3). This study focuses on empowering marginalised stakeholders in food systems to enhance their opportunities to achieve these SDGs. The sustainability agenda is often dominated by developed countries, marginalising smallholder farmers and consumers in developing countries. To address this, the research team engages smallholder farmers and consumers in Jamaica, exploring their perspectives and experiences with the sustainability agenda relevant to food systems and health. Using a participatory approach, the project rehumanizes food supply chains and builds capacity to tackle SDG 12 and SDG 3 collaboratively with developing countries.
Developing countries account for 86% of the population, approximately 6.6 billion people (UNCTAD, 2023). Yet, the discourse on defining and implementing sustainability for all humanity has been controlled by large Western corporations. These dominant food supply chain stakeholders control the flow of resources in food systems, leaving consumers and farmers with limited agency (Young and Hobbs, 2002). Farming communities are a microcosm of global food systems; both farmers and consumers cohabitate and are impacted by similar socio-economic processes. This allows for the investigation of the human experience that drives the supply chain. For example, in Jamaica, 79% of all deaths results from Non-Communicable Diseases (Pan American Health Organization, 2022). What role do food systems play in this? By amplifying the voices of marginalised stakeholders, the research team hopes to find a sustainable approach to food systems and health.